Extracts From Messages
to the Senate In Support or Opposition to
the Suffrage Amendment.

Senate Journal of the State of West Virginia
Extraordinary Session, 1920.

[February 28, 1920]

The President directed the Clerk to read the following:
A great number of telegrams in favor of the ratification of the
Women's Suffrage Amendment have been received by the President
from prominent citizens, women's clubs, local W. C. T. U. organizations,
and business and commercial bodies of Parkersburg, Fairmont,
Charleston, Wheeling, Grafton, New Martinsville, Williamson, Mannington,
Morgantown and Bluefield.

Also, from the Governors of the States of California, Maine and
Arizona; from United States Senators and various members of the
legislatures, prominent citizens, professional men, leagues, committees.
State W. C. T. U. organizations, from the state of Colorado, Maryland,
Kentucky, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Mississippi,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Missouri. Ohio, Iowa and Washington, D.C.

Communications opposing the ratification of the Suffrage Amendment
have been received from the "West Virginia Association Opposed to
Woman Suffrage", the "Women Voters' Anti-Suffrage
Party", of New York, the "National Association Opposed to Woman
Suffrage", and from Waitman H. Conway, of Fairmont, West Va.,
D. H. Morton, of Brooklyn, N. Y., Mrs. James Bennett. of Richmond,
Kentucky, and Mr. Arthur S. Dayton, of Philippi, West Va.

Mr. Gribble presented the following telegram which was read by
the Clerk:
"CLARKSBURG, W. VA., Feb. 28, 1930.

"Hon. Wallace B. Gribble,
State Senate,
Charleston, W. Va.

We, the undersigned, assert that we express the sentiment of the
majority of the women of Clarksburg when we say that we are
opposed to the ratification by the legislature of this state of the
Women's Suffrage Amendment to the Federal Constitution. Certain
names appended hereto also appear to the petition presented by the
advocates of Woman Suffrage in the Senate and the House today, but
these names were signed under a misapprehension of the nature of the
petition and we desire to withdraw such names from the petition.
We commend the stand taken by you in carrying out the expressed
wish of the people of West Virginia as demonstrated by the 96,000
majority against Woman Suffrage and in attempting to protect the
true mission of women in the country.

Mr. Harmer presented the following letter, which was read by the
Clerk:

"CHARLESTON, W. VA.,

March 1, 1920.
"Hon. C. A. Sinsel,

President of the Senate.
Sir:

In presenting this petition from one thousand seven hundred and
nine women of Clarksburg, praying for the ratification of the Federal
Suffrage Amendment, we respectfully desire to call the attention of
the Senate to the fact that a telegram signed by thirty-four women
of Clarksburg, declaring that they were opposed to such ratification,
dated February 28, 1920, addressed to Hon. Wallace B. Gribble,
and presented by him to the Senate, stated that certain names signed
to said telegram, were also appended to this petition but had been
placed there under a misapprehension as to its purport.

We hereby declare that the names signed to the telegram have
been compared, in the presence of the Clerk of the House of Delegates,
with those signed to this petition, and only four of the names on the
two documents are identical. The names of the four women who
have changed their minds have been. stricken from this petition, which
is herewith presented, signed by one thousand seven hundred and nine
instead of one thousand seven hundred and thirteen women of Harrison county.

We will let the Senate judge whether the thirty-four persons who
signed the said telegram or the one thousand seven hundred and nine
women who signed said petition are better able to express the sentiment
of the majority of the women of that district as to whether they
wish the Federal Amendment ratified or not by the Legislature.

The petitions referred to in the foregoing communication were
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. Harmer presented the following, telegram, which was read by
the Clerk:

"CLARKSBURG, W. VA.,

March 1,1920.
"Hon. H. W. Harmer,
State Senate,
Charleston, West Va.

We, the undersigned, solemnly declare we polled the women of
Clarksburg on the question of the ratification of the Woman
Suffrage Amendment. Only four of the thirty-four women whose
names are published on the list as having signed under misapprehension,
signed as favoring ratification. We further declare that in
no instance did we misrepresent the issue.

We, the undersigned, assert that we express the sentiment of the
majority of the women of Clarksburg when we say that we are
opposed to the ratification, by the legislature of this state, of the
Woman Suffrage Amendment to the Federal Constitution. Certain
names appended hereto also appear on the petition presented by the
advocates of Woman Suffrage in the Senate and House today, but
these names were signed under a misapprehension of the nature of
the petition and we desire to withdraw such names from the petition.
We commend the stand taken by you in carrying out the expressed
wish of the people of West Virginia as demonstrated by the 97,000
majority against Woman Suffrage, and in attempting to protect the
true mission of women in. the country.

The State Federation of Women's Clubs and the State Woman's
Christian Temperance Union have repeatedly declared for equal
suffrage. Will you support the women of these organizations and the
declarations of your party by voting for the amendment?

MRS. J. WALTER BARNES,
President Women's Club of Fairmont,
and State President Woman's Christian Temperance Union."

. . .

Mr. Cobun presented the following letters and telegrams, which
were read by the Clerk:

"WEST VIRGINIA FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS.

"CHARLESTON, W. VA.,

February 25,1920.
"Hon. S. L. Cobun,
Member State Senate.
Dear Sir:

The West Virginia Federation of Women's Clubs, consisting of
sixty-six clubs with a membership of between three and four
thousand, at its annual meeting in Clarksburg last October, passed
a resolution urging the West Virginia Legislature to ratify the
Federal Suffrage Amendment "at the earliest' possible moment."

Sixteen and a half million women in the United States have already
been granted the vote, and the women of this state are looking
to you to bestow upon them the same privilege.

Women of all classes are asking for the vote - the women in industry,
the teachers, the housewives, the professional women, the rich,
the poor, and most of all the mothers are asking that you ratify the
suffrage amendment.

Do it now that West Virginia may bravely take her stand with
the thirty-six required states.
Yours respectfully,
COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATION: